"Ready For Some Football!"

With school starting a few weeks ago, our family is back in the swing. Lately we have been heavily involved with football. Never thought I would get this involved with it, but I do like to see my boys play. Our 11th grader has had to put sports on hold for awhile. Hopefully he will be 100% come baseball season. He is still trying to get his strength back after his knee surgery. He is almost there. Our youngest, a freshman in high school, has been very busy with football. He plays JV and Varsity. He as actually gotten to play a little varsity, not much, but as a freshman, a little is great. So far we have won both our games, and the season looks to be a good one!

I'm Back!

Been gone for awhile. A LONG while. Why? Well, we took off on vacation in July. The family went down to Florida to visit with family. While there, we took a short cruise to the Bahamas. We really had a nice time. Four days of relaxation. We left on Sunday. Monday, we were in Freeport where we did a little shopping. The boys did not even get off the boat. They spent the day on the slides and in the pool. The ship docked right by all the shops, so it was not a big deal to leave them. After a little Christmas shopping, we got back on the ship and joined the boys at the pool. Tuesday, we were in Nassau. We were there for 23 hours. I wasn't sure if we would like that, but it was pretty nice. We all got off the ship and took some family pictures by the library. It is a beautiful area, and I thought it would make a great background for family Christmas cards. No one cooperated. We took the boys back to the ship so they could spend time at the pool, etc. My mom, daughter and I went one way to shop, and my husband went off by himself to shop. After we were done, we went back to the boat, and showed off all our goodies. Most of the things I bought were Christmas gifts. I did buy a few things for me--refrigerator magnet, dress, fish mobile...My husband got a few t-shirts and a hat. Mom and I decided to go back out shopping, because we had missed some stores that my husband had told us about. Might as well...we were going anywhere for a long while. My daughter joined the boys at the pool, and my husband found a quiet corner to enjoy his book. The next and last day on the cruise was a day at sea. We spent all day out by the pool. This was the first cruise we had been on where we did not do any excursions. I did not know how we would like it. I will have to say, we loved it. For the most part, we did not have to be anywhere at any particular time, and that was great. Just four days of relaxation...

After we got back from the cruise, we had a couple of days to hang out with family. Unbeknowst to me, my family had a little surprise party. You see, I was going to turn the big 5-0 in August. My sister's boys were having a birthday in August too. I figured we were having a bday party for them, but it was me that the party was for. The boys had their gift opening too, but they are young, and really don't care much about all the hoopla. The cake had a picture of me at about 2 years on it. The next day, we headed back home. This is when the REAL story begins...

It takes about 13 hours to get back from my folks house. We were looking so forward to getting out of the car, and into our beds. Bill had to get up the next morning and go to work. My youngest son had football practice at 6 A.M.!! As we entered the house with our arms full of luggage, a very unpleasant aroma slapped us in the face. I turned to the boys and asked them if they had taken the trash out, like I told them to, before we left. They assured me that they had. Soon my husband comes out of our room hands still full of luggage and announces--the ceiling fell in, and water is everywhere. Now, he CAN be a bit of a jokster, and I did not take him serious. But he was VERY serious. As I walked into our bedroom and onto the soaked carpet, the smell got even worse. I looked around the corner into our bathroom and saw the mess. I knew it was going to be a long night, and a long month...

So what happened? Well, in the area we live, the "brainy" builders put hot water heaters in the attic. Now when we looked for houses when we were moving here two years ago, I questioned this. A LOT!!! I was told, "Oh...the pan will catch any drips." My reply, "Well, a pan is NOT going to catch...how many gallons of water??!!!?" But, you know I'm just a dumb woman, and blonde at that. So, again I was not taken serious. Sure wish now I would have put up more of a stink. Our house was brand new when we moved in, and so was the hot water heater--2 years old!!!

Anyway, I am glad to say, that a month later, I am now back in my own bed in my own room, and using my own shower. The computer was in that room too, so we were unable to use it for that time.

My New Bracelet/Necklace

I like to do a lot of things, but one of my favorites is making jewelry. When my sisters and I were growing up, Mom would take us to the craft store, and we would buy things to make jewelry with. Once I got a little older and off to college, I quit making jewelry, until my sister got back into it several years ago. She got me turned on to it, and I've been making things ever since. I find it very relaxing, and rewarding. I especially like to make me (or my daughter) a new item when we buy a new article of clothing.

This piece shown here is made of glass and crystal beads I bought at Michael's. I had just bought a new top, and wanted something to go with it. This piece is actually a necklace, but I decided I like it much better as a bracelet. The necklace measures about 16 inches--a little long for a double bracelet, so I wrap it around my wrist twice and twist it a bit to shorten it before I clasp it. I don't know if you can tell or not, but the glass beads are teardrop shape, which makes this pretty unique...and I just love unique pieces.

4th of July in Tennessee

For the 4th of July weekend, we went to the back woods of Tennessee. We got to visit with family and enjoy the beauty of the area. The morning of the 4th, we took the kids to a fun swimming hole. Bill was also able to get some fishing done. Those fish literally jumped out of the water and onto his line. I've never seen anything like it. In all he and his cousin caught about 50 fish during the 3 days they were able to fish.

The reason you don't see Scott on the rope, is because he is still recuperating from his knee surgery. Only one more month, and hopefully, the doctor will release him to full activity!

Great Times in New Orleans!

A couple of weeks ago, my daughter got an email from one of her dance buddies. She had sent her info about So You Think You Can Dance auditions coming to New Orleans, LA. Ever since the show started, my daughter, Ashley, and I have been avid fans. Ashley looked forward to the day when she would be old enough to audition. That day came last year, but then she had ankle surgery, so could not audition.

Ashley had just come home from college and had been looking for a job when the email came. She had no luck in finding a job, and was really wanting to go down to the auditions. There were several problems with this, though--she had left her dance stuff in storage almost 2000 miles away, she did not have a place to practice or choreograph, as the dance floors were being resurfaced and the studio was closed. When she found out about the audition, there was less than a week to come up with a dance number, costume, find dance shoes, and get down there. Seemed impossible! I was a little aprehensive on going to to NOLA (New Orleans, LA), as I had never been there and was concerned about the saftey factor.

Ashley realized she had an old pair of bright blue tap shoes in her closet, and decided to choreograph a piece around them--in her teeny tiny carpeted bedroom. I happened to mention our delima to the walking group. One of the ladies said she would be glad to come with us. She is also a die hard fan of the show, and use to live in NOLA, and loves the place. I proceeded to check into where the place was, get info on motels in the area, and Ashley proceeded to seek a pair of dance heels, come up with a costume, and "practice" her routine as well as she could, not having a place to really dance. I found a good price on a room, Ashley borrowed some old character shoes that were an ok fit, and with her daddy's blessing, we took off on our 6 hr trip to NOLA.

I can't go into detail as to how the audition went, because they ask that in order to have the surprise element for the show, that we need to keep quiet. I can say we had a really good time. Ashley did get sick the day before one of her auditions (there are several auditions one can go through), but was able to rest and feel good enough for the audition. We don't know if she will be on the show or not. I know of one girl who auditioned for a past season who made it all the way to the picking of the top 20, and was never on TV, so you never know. They did like her blue tap shoes, where impressed with her tapping, and interviewed her quite a bit, so we just don't know if they will do anything with it or not, and if they do what they will do with it.

As far as NOLA itself goes, we did have some time to be tourists. We went down to the French Quarters and had beignets at Cafe Du Monde. They were so, so good! We also went to the Gumbo Shop and had the best po boy sandwitch. It was a vegetarian, and I enjoyed every bite! Ashley had a characature done, and we did a little shoppig, but not much. All in all, it was a nice little get away, and we are glad we did it.

So...everyone needs to tune in, in September for season six for So You Think You Can Dance. Hopefully you will see at least a little bit of Ashley, at the New Orleans auditions. Even if you don't you should see some good dancing, as there was a lot of really good talent in NOLA!